Roush Diesel Quad Nearly Ready for Production

June 30, 2005

Roush Technologies, a UK-based company that is part of Roush Enterprises, Inc., Livonia, Mich., says it plans to have a diesel-powered ATV in full commercial production by early next year.
Formally known as the Roush Diesel Quad Bike, the unit is the product of what Roush Technologies calls a “collaborative alliance” with Arctic Cat, Inc.
Based on Arctic Cat's 650-class, the Roush machine is outfitted with an 18hp water-cooled twin-cylinder 686cc Lombardini diesel engine matched to a Roush design transmission with an IBC Constant Velocity Transmission (CVT) system.
Roush started engineering for the diesel-powered quad nearly two years ago. Initial military units were unveiled in the UK earlier this year. The company says trials of the pre-production models confirmed significant interest from militaries and civilian commercial customers throughout Europe.
While the initial plan was to engineer a product solely for the military, Roush says planned variations now include road-legal homologated versions and a longer wheel base two-seater option. The company says it plans to target agricultural, mining, equestrian and forestry sectors, as well as local governments and emergency services.
Roush will become sole distributor for military versions of the diesel ATV - Roush's operation in the U.S. will supply the American military y market while Roush Europe will take responsibility for sales and marketing of military versions for all other worldwide markets - and the company says the civilian market models will be distributed and sold through Arctic Cat's existing network.
“This is something Arctic Cat is working with in the international market,” Kale Wainer, a representative of Minnesota-based Arctic Cat, told Powersports Business.
Roush has not confirmed pricing for the forthcoming units, but says it expects the diesel unit will be priced about 15% higher than traditional gas-powered models.
Originally established in 1976 as Jack Roush Performance Engineering, Roush Enterprises, Inc., is a supplier of automotive engineering, development and manufacturing services. The company employs more than 2,000 people in over 50 locations throughout North America, Mexico, Germany and the UK.